Metro North Announces Train Additions to New Haven Line Beginning June 21st
Photo by Marc A. Hermann, MTAMTA Press ReleaseMetro-North Railroad today announced new train schedules taking effect Monday, June 21, that will add 24 new peak trains on its three lines east of the Hudson River, bringing service to 67% of pre-pandemic levels, from the 63% that has been in place for a year. The changes are directed to the peak periods, when ridership is heavier. A more significant service change, which will increase service to 83% of pre-pandemic levels during the week and 70% of pre-COVID levels on the weekends, will take place on Aug. 29, just in time for Labor Day.
The June 21 service increase comes as New York City, the Hudson Valley and Connecticut continue their reopening and Metro-North continues to welcome more riders back to the railroad. On June 1, Metro-North set a pandemic ridership record with approximately 94,923 trips taken, and has had ridership above 90,000 for five of the first nine weekdays in June. With more people riding the trains, Metro-North is extending the hours of operation of Grand Central’s entrances to 46th, 47th and 48th Streets. Effective today, they will be open from 6:30 a.m. through 9:30 p.m. on weekdays. Since last Sept. 28, they had been open only from 6:30 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.
“We are thrilled to see sustained ridership growth as the region comes back to life from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Catherine Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad. “Metro-North is increasing service to meet the demand that we are seeing, and we couldn’t be happier to be welcoming so many of our customers back.”
In a further service benefit for customers, officials also announced the completion of the New Haven Line’s catenary system, the overhead wires that power the trains. Through this project, crews replaced Connecticut’s 217 miles of original 1907 "fixed termination" catenary, which can sag or contract due to temperature changes, with a state-of-the-art “constant tension” system that better accommodates temperature extremes.
Before the replacement, train speeds could be restricted as much as 30 mph if the weather was hotter than 90 degrees or colder than 25 degrees, and train pantographs suffered greater wear-and-tear. The completion of the project will lead to more reliable train service with fewer power-related service disruptions, and fewer congestion-related bottlenecks that were in effect when tracks were taken out of service for the catenary work.
"This is truly a milestone for the Metro-North New Haven Line and the New Canaan Branch," said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti. "The completion of this work to replace and upgrade a more than 100-year-old critical component of railroad infrastructure signifies not only a new era of improved service reliability, but also an improved customer experience for years to come.”
“This additional service that's being added, both on Monday and in August, is really a terrific sign for commuters and it's a great sign of recovery for our region,” said Lisa Daglian, Executive Director, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. “More trains are great for anybody who wants to travel around the region. It's a great sign of our economic return to some sense of normalcy.”
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said: "Increased Metro-North service could not be more important as the economy is reopening and residents are returning to work. I thank Metro-North Railroad for supporting our commuters during the post-pandemic recovery, and taking steps to ensure increased train service is available and easier to access."
“This service expansion is great for customers and is yet another positive sign of our region coming back to life,” said Amy Paulin, Assembly Member and Chair, Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. “Metro-North is doing a terrific job of responding to the current increase in customer ridership and contributing to the reopening of our economy.”
“It is exciting to see the region’s recovery and Metro-North ridership trending in such positive directions,” said Rhonda Herman, MTA Board Member. “This service increase is a result of the great work done to fight back the pandemic and a major step in riders returning in full to Metro-North.”
"Adding trains during peak hours on all three Metro-North lines is great news for commuters -- and it's a great sign of recovery for our region,” said Randy Glucksman, MTA Board Member and Chair, Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council. “We know that more and more people are riding trains and ensuring that they feel comfortable will help bring even more back on board. As we approach the next phases of reopening, the sense of normalcy of riding the rails is something that many of us look forward to."
Customers will see the following changes take effect on June 21:
New Haven Line
On the New Haven Line, both morning and afternoon peak-period service will increase from 22 trains to 26.
Two Stamford to Grand Central local trains are being added. The first train will operate from Stamford to Greenwich, make all stops to Larchmont and then operate express to Harlem-125th St and Grand Central. A second Grand Central-bound train will operate from Harrison to Grand Central stopping at Mamaroneck, Larchmont and Harlem-125th St.
Another change in the June 21 timetables is the 7:20 a.m. Grand Central-bound local train from Stamford, which will make additional stops at Old Greenwich, Riverside and Cos Cob, while bypassing stops at Harrison, Mamaroneck and Larchmont, which will be served by one of the added trains.
In the afternoon, two Stamford-bound departures are being added from Grand Central, stopping at Harlem-125th St, then express to New Rochelle before making all stops to Stamford.
Two trains from New Haven to Grand Central are being added in weekday mornings, stopping at all stations between New Haven and Fairfield, then express to Stamford, Harlem-125th St and Grand Central.
In the afternoon, two New Haven-bound trains are being added from Grand Central, stopping at Harlem-125th St, then express to Stamford, then all stops to New Haven.
Harlem Line
On the Harlem Line, both morning and afternoon peak-period service will increase to 25 trains, from 21.
In the morning, two new southbound trains stop at all stations between Crestwood and Mt Vernon West, then Fordham, Harlem-125th St and Grand Central. In the afternoon, a new northbound train will stop at Harlem-125th St and make all stops between Mt. Vernon West and Crestwood. A second northbound train will stop at Harlem-125th St, then will operate express to Crestwood, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, White Plains and North White Plains.
In addition, four trains are being added between Southeast and Grand Central. In the morning, two southbound trains will make all station stops between Southeast and Mt. Kisco, then operate express to Harlem-125th St and Grand Central. In the afternoon, two northbound trains will stop at Harlem-125th St then operate express to White Plains and make all local stops to Southeast.
Hudson Line
On the Hudson Line, morning peak-period service will increase to 22 trains from 18, while afternoon peak-period service increases to 21 trains from 17.
Two round-trips are being added between Croton-Harmon and Grand Central. These trains will make all stops between Croton-Harmon and Hastings-on-Hudson, then Yonkers, Harlem-125th St and Grand Central.
Two round-trip trains between Poughkeepsie and Grand Central will be added. These trains will make all stops between Poughkeepsie and Croton-Harmon before operating express to Harlem-125th St and Grand Central.
The Breakneck Ridge station remains temporarily closed for station safety improvements.
These service increases build on the April 12 timetable that added New Haven Line trains and restored weekend service to Wassaic.
New Neighbors: Romanacci Transforms the former Commuter Coffee on Railroad Place
Romanacci Italian Restaurant has moved - and grown - next door, celebrating a larger space with more options at the historic 46 Railroad Place storefront.
Romanacci Manager Maciej RoginskiThe train station neighborhood was alive late last night as the last customers of the evening left, and manager Maciej Roginski and his crew began to prepare for today’s crowds. The restaurant - owned by Graziano and Maurizio Ricci - opened on Thursday, adding a large italian eatery to the area with a full service dining room, bar, and outdoor seating.
The Ricci’s made the decision to move to the larger space next door to expand their italian menu and create a permanent option for local diners. The space was transformed from the former Commuter Coffee eatery, which closed in June of 2018 after over four decades of service. The Commuter’s former windowside pink booths and large corner counter have been replaced with natural woods, exposed lighting, and natural accents - with a full bar overlooking the kitchen, and outdoor seating available on the deck over Railroad Place.
The restaurant is known for their italian specialties and pizzas, and now adds a larger food locale in the heart of the ever-changing Railroad Place community. They’re open Sunday - Thursday from 11AM until 10PM, and Fridays-Sundays from 11AM until 11PM. Roginski described the new opportunities the larger space gives them, with a future of live music and continued success in the area all within view.
More information can be found on their website, romanacci.com
New Neighbors: “Hook’d on the Sound” Pushes Through a Rainy Memorial Day Weekend
Nadine Wilf, General Manager, stands at the counter with Beck Lewis, a University of Miami freshman. Hook’d on the Sound celebrated its brick-and-mortar opening this month on Compo Beach - an exciting transition as the staff and 86 year old building prepare for the summer season in Westport.
The staff at Hook’d stayed warm behind the counter as only a handful of brave souls walked the shoreline this Memorial Day weekend - a time when the beaches celebrate their opening and the community marks the beginning of the warm season.
Although the screen door swung open for the first time this month, the restaurant team ran a large food trailer last year, when their contract officially began with the Town of Westport.
The interior of the local beach shack was renovated completely, with all new appliances and designs put in place throughout the structure. However the comfortable feeling of the former Joey’s by the Shore remains as staff greeted the customers at the famous building-wide countertop.
Managed by Nadine Wilf, Hook’d on the Sound is open seven days per week and offers a variety of breakfasts, snack-shack foods, as well as larger entrees, deserts, and healthier smoothies and bowls made-to-order.
The Compo Beach concession stand the day after Hurricane Sandy hit in October, 2021. The structure’s adjoining brick walls collapsed during the storm, and the famous boardwalk patio floated several feet away. Photo by Jaime Bairaktaris. Although a wash-out of a weekend, the staff remained positive - describing the community’s warm welcome during such a cold holiday weekend.
The Compo Beach concession stand was built in 1935, with extensive renovations being done to the building and adjoining bathhouses and lockers after Hurricane Sandy destroyed parts of the brickwork in 2012.
New Neighbors: The Porch at Christie’s Opens Today
Andrea and Bill Pecoriello welcomed the first customers to The Porch at Christie’s early this morning as the new community-based restaurant opened their doors. Westport’s northern neighborhoods will regain their beloved country store after this morning’s opening of The Porch at Christie’s at 161 Cross Highway.
The 101 year old building has served for decades as meeting house and gastronomic locale for many far-out Westporters and herds of nearby middle and high school students. Owner Andrea and Bill Pecoriello of Westport founded The Porch not only on the basis of good food, but to provide a community space for both their customers and their beloved employees.
In 2020, the Pecoriellos founded the non-profit Sweet P Bakery in Norwalk as a way to provide job training and employment for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Through their work with Sweet P, they found that they needed a storefront to continue that training at the front of a house - resulting in their creation of The Porch; “We can't think of a more perfect spot in town to support Sweet P Bakery's mission” they described when speaking about the opportunity to have Sweet P Bakery graduates work at the front of the house. Graduating members of Sweet P’s 4 week internship program are able to bake alongside the Porch’s three pastry chefs to create the baked goods sold at the store while building skills and celebrating their accomplishments.
Guests are greeted by the historic building’s stone front porch as they step through the door into a bright and newly renovated dining room and food counter. Opening at 6:30 AM, The Porch offers a variety of coffees, teas, smoothies, and breakfasts while offering a comprehensive lunch and supper menu, too. A separate ice cream hut will serve the frozen dessert later into the evenings, allowing families to watch the traffic go by while preventing ice cream drips from hitting the grass.
Operating on-and-off in the most recent years, the previous tenant - Chef’s Table - closed less than a year after they opened in April 2019. The property was last sold in 2008 for 1.65 million dollars.
Being the northernmost restaurant in Westport, the space has always been beloved by those who want to avoid the noise of Post Road and the traffic of downtown. “Christie’s” has been a pillar in the community for nearly 100 years, serving snacks, cold drinks, ice cream, and locally sourced foods to generations of Westporters. Owners Andrea and Bill are excited to welcome the next generation to The Porch.
New Neighbors: Il Pastaficio Homemade Pasta Joins the Downtown Renaissance
As the revival of Downtown Westport forges on, Il Pastaficio Artisanal Pasta has announced their opening at 135 Post Road East, a few doors up from Patagonia. Owner Federico Perandin, originally from Italy’s northern city of Padua, was excited to share his vision of guests enjoying their homemade pastas and sauces, select main courses, and wines come autumntime in the mixed used space - which will serve as both pasta shop and eat-in restaurant. This will be the second location for the pasta artisans, with their other shoppe located just south on I-95 in Cos Cob. Perandin said they expect to be open this September.
Sundance: Window Shopping at Main Street’s Newest Shop
The Sundance store, 97 Main Street, revealed itself for window shopping as the large privacy walls were taken down. The community has long awaited the opening of the store, which will take place later this month. Sundance was founded by Robert Redford in 1969, transforming from a catalog to boutique with women’s and men’s clothing in addition to artisan gifts and speciality items. The Westport location will be the 20th store for the company, with locations sprawled across the country.
Busy Brunch at Newly Renovated Boathouse
Mother’s Day brunch was busy this afternoon at the renovated boathouse building at the Saugatuck Rowing and Fitness Club. The Boathouse Restaurant is open to the public and overlooks the busy section of the Saugatuck River.
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo at Saugatuck’s Viva Zapata Restaurant
Photo by Matthew Mandell, Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, for The Westport Local Press. With new guidelines for local bars and restaurants now in effect - locals flocked to Viva Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant, 530 Riverside Avenue, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo tonight. The popular local hangout was excited to be permitted to remain open until midnight, with patrons now able to purchase drinks without the purchase of food; a step closer to pre-pandemic operations. The large outdoor patio gave space for the groups to enjoy their dinner service while tents kept them dry after today’s wet weather.
“Vivas” has operated in Westport since 1969, making it one of the longest running restaurants in Westport - with generations of Westporters
Correction: Clarification that alcohol purchases without food purchases are for outdoor service only until the next State of Connecticut reopening phase, which begins on May 19th.
Spring Weather over Walrus Alley
Walrus Alley basked under blue skies as the dinner rush began to pick up for the popular downtown restaurant.
Leaders Lunch Together to Support Outdoor Dining
Left-right: Second Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas, State Representative Stephanie Thomas, Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe, State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, State Senator Tony Hwang, Executive Director Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce Matthew Mandell Both State and Local leaders enjoyed lunch today at Tarantino’s on Railroad Place while discussing outdoor dining around the town and county. The discussions were held in partnership with the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, and was organized by State Senator Tong Hwang. The group sat on Railroad' Place’s new outdoor dining locations, which were constructed over the parallel parking spaces once found alongside the local train station strip. Ideas like that were the crux of the conversation as the group focused on ways communities could better provide support and flexibility to both restaurants and customers.